Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi and his predecessor John Serut have argued over how the leader of a terror gang should be handled by security agents. Shoot to kill or arrest and question?
The two leaders were addressing mourners in Kapsokwony on Friday during the burial of Mzee Peter Psenjen, 76.
Kapondi said he wants Timothy Kitai, alias Cheparkach, shot dead if he is captured.
Serut said he should be arrested so he can name his accomplices.“Some people are saying I am the one funding Cheparkach and he survives through my pocket. Can he fit in my pocket? When he is arrested, he can tell us who has been funding him,” Serut said.
Kapondi argued, “Cheparkach has killed more than 25 people. We cannot tolerate this. He owns guns. The best thing for security officials to do is to shoot him.”
The MP said, “If he was able to escape from a prison vehicle while leaving the Kimilili law courts, which prison can deal with such a hardened criminal?”
Last month. the National Police Service placed a Sh1 million bounty on Cheparkach’s head, saying he is armed and dangerous.
On March 6, Internal Security CS Fred Matiang’i imposed a three-month dusk-to- dawn curfew in Mt Elgon to enable the security forces to arrest the gang known for murder, rape and robbery.
Leaders have asked lands CS Farida Karoney to ensure the Chepyuk settlement scheme land rows are solved and residents are given title deeds. They said that land ownership is the main cause of conflict in the area.
